Yesterday's Amalgamated World News (YAWN) - July 26,2006: While inspectors were unable to locate suspected Weapons of Mass Destruction at the Dividing Line Broadcast Network, they did find a different kind of WMD on a show called Under the Radar last night. It seems the DJ, a chap who calls himself "Winkler," had been rummaging through his closet and found some materials for use in a WMD project of his own. But this time, WMD stands for World Music Debut. On last night's show, this brief segment consisted of 2 songs that have been languishing in Winkler's Closet (as he calls the WMD segment of the show) for many years - since the 1980s, as it turns out. Public reaction to the WMD's has thus far been overwhelmingly positive, with 100% of respondents agreeing strongly with the statement: "It's good enough, it's smart enough, and doggone it, We the People like it very much indeed!" Winkler himself could not be reached for comment, but if last night's setlist - reproduced below - is any indication, a whole lotta other great prog was played as well!

Great mix of stuff for ya this week! On the heavier end we had some great tracks from Pain of Salvation, Lemur Voice, and The Tea Party. On the kinder, gentler side, we heard from Oregon, Spock's Beard, and Peter Hammill. On the more experimental side, there was Andy Rinehart and David Torn, and Winkler's Closet featured a great track from Split the Dark's first and only independent record, Keep it to Yourself, which they basically did.... (and no, yours truly didn't play on this one) The record came out in 1985 and never saw the light of day as far as major label interest, but what do major labels know, anyway! In addition to all that there are some great rockers from The Urbane, Platypus, Fish, and Ty Tabor.

Lots of fun and some tasty tunes as well, last night on Under the Radar. We kicked off the show about 20 minutes early, so there's an extra 20 minutes - at no extra charge! We turned at least a couple of people in the chat room on to a relatively obscure band, Jade Warrior. Jade Warrior has probably about a dozen albums to their credit, are nothing if not progressive, and it seems that most prog fans aren't familiar with their music! Or, if they are, they know one or two albums and that's all. Anyway, the track I played last night, from Floating World, hit a nerve with some folks, which is always good to see. See if it grabs you as well!

In the Winkler's Closet segment, we heard a very early (1975), very proggy, ELP-ish track from Winkler's early band, Solstice, which seemed to go over well with the chat crowd. And we were visited ;-) by a prank caller for a minute or so, who was looking to buy some healthy tropical fish(!). Now, C'MON folks! You gotta let me know if you think this guy is funny, or if I'm just being truly tasteless even putting him on! He's got funnier stuff, but I picked this one to start with 'cos it has fewer 4-letter words than many of his really REALLY funny bits! So you gotta let me know, or he may lose our number, so to speak! LOL!

We had some fun on Under the Radar last night, as I celebrated the successful completion of 4 years of hard studying for the CFA exams! In fact, we started the show with a song called Fun, by Kevin Gilbert, and it was all uphill (or is it downhill?) from there! Anyway, besides the usual proggy goodness, we heard from our nemesis, the prank caller again. This time he was posing as a hot guitar player, a self described "chubbier Vince Neil!" Add to that a great percussion romp with Gong, a little-known epic from Billy Sherwood, and a live Wetton Band version of Rendezvous 602 and you have the makings of a great show! So check it out and enjoy!

Well, folks, this week's episode of Under the Radar is late, but to make it worth the wait, it's over 3 hours long! What happened was DaveP and I agreed to switch nights this week - then Dave became ill and wasn't able to do the Wednesday night show. Mikebo filled in for almost an hour, then I took over for the last hour or so. On Thursday, we had a regular two hours of proggy goodness as well! So I've spliced both the Wednesday night hour and the Thursday night 2 hours together into one grettbiggo' (that's Texan for "great big old") archive. Lots of interesting stuff, so check out the list below and download away!

Technical note: There's about 20 seconds of dead air right at the beginning of the archive, but have no fear and don't touch that dial! The fun starts right up after that! (And by all means, if your computer HAS a "dial," GET A NEW COMPUTER!! LOL ;-))

Under the Radar #40 is now available for downloads, streams, and other various and sundry uses and abuses! This set is even more - if that's possible - all over the map than any show so far! From Southern Rock in 7/8 via Captain Beyond to Utopia's Magic Dragon Theatre to Jade Warrior to Roy Harper to Howard Jones to Fish to Gong to....Heck! I'm getting myself all wrapped up like a pretzel just trying to describe it! Just check it out! You'll be Mighty Glad you Did!

A relatively laid back show this week, though we got a visitation from the ghost in my machine. In the middle of one song, my computer just randomly played a couple of voice files out of nowhere! They weren't on my Winamp list, and the program that usually calls those files was not open!! Maybe somebody can explain to me how that can happen. Anyway, you'll notice that about halfway through the show. Weird stuff! Anyway, the setlist is below! Enjoy!

There's 25% more great stuff than usual this week! We started half an hour early, so there's lots more great stuff to check out! Highlights of the evening included Glenn Phillips Band, a little-known band from the southeastern US, a kick-ass block of tunes from Pain of Salvation, and a featured track from Pennsylvania-based indie band Pinnacle's very cool second album, "Meld." Lots of other great stuff on the show as well, so check it out!!

Tonight's show was as different as night and day, folks! Different from what, you ask? Well, we're all individuals here... ("I'm not!" shouted a man in the crowd...) but I digress - into confusion, as it turns out. Basically, we started with "Everything Merges with the Night" by Eno, and closed out the show with "Daylight Robbery" by by the fabulous Ms.Imogen Heap. Hence the "night and day" reference. At any rate, another great show is in the can ("What?" He's in a can??" - I just saw that movie, so I digress again...."wake up Winkler! come back to us!") Anyway, I know I'm in there somewhere, and if I don't come out with my hands up, I'm coming in after me! But eschew these ramblings of an old man and dig mightily on the music contained in this week's show!